Frustrated Beyond Belief!

According to Children's Service Society Of Wisconsin, there are 2,200 children in the foster care system at any given time in Milwaukee County. ( http://www.chw.org/display/PPF/DocID/43273/router.asp ).

Then can you explain to me why there are so many foster/adoptive families that are licensed waiting, and waiting for placement? Explain that to me? What is happening to these 2,200 children while these parents wait for placement?

As a mother folds little socks and tidies a little comforter, a child waits for somewhere to call home. Explain to me why other counties that have no children to place right now but have great foster parents can't get kids from Milwaukee. Why? I don't know...

Probably because of the fact that caseworkers do not last long in this profession because it is stressful, they are not paid well, and they feel like they get nowhere. Probably because Wisconsin is a reunification state, which means that the state will try to get the child back to their birth parents, if at all possible.

I agree with this 100 percent, when it makes sense and the parents are trying. There are so many cases where the parents do nothing at all, yet still get more visitation, get their kids back, etc. Half the time they do nothing at all until the very last possible day to do something, they do one thing on the checklist and then the time starts all over. It is like a game. A game with a child's life...

Does the legal system allow for the judge to make a common sense ruling in this case? I don't know, but it must not be possible because I have never seen it happen. I have always witnessed them giving the birth parents more time, etc.

I do respite care for a little girl who is currently in the middle of one of these battles. Her birth mom outright told the foster mom that she does not want her daughter, but she belongs to her (like a piece of property). She does nothing for her, she does none of the court mandated classes, she does not show up to visitation, etc.

They went to court to end this and terminate her parental rights. What happened? A jury (not a judge) decided that the rights should NOT be terminated because the caseworker did not have all of the evidence of this with her.

Do I blame the caseworker? In a way, yes...in a way, no. They are overworked. They get way too many cases and cannot possibly handle it. In the meantime, this little girl just says in the system until they can file for the termination of rights again. In the meantime, she is in limbo.

It makes me mad to see how the system is failing our children. Why should you care? These children are going to grow up some day and if they are not helped they are going to be angry, angry people. Get mad and help them! Write your senator and say that you want something done about the foster care system in Wisconsin.